Chapter 7: Driving Sustainable Data Centres
CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY:
Driving Sustainable Data Centers
The 39-page report, "Driving Sustainable Data Centres," provides critical insights into an industry experiencing rapid growth while navigating increasing environmental responsibilities and regulatory requirements.
KEY FINDINGS:
WATER CONSUMPTION SURGE: Data centres currently consume approximately 300,000 gallons of water daily for cooling—equivalent to 100,000 homes. With AI expansion, Deloitte projects this could reach over 1.7 trillion gallons by 2027, creating significant resource management challenges.
POWER DEMAND ACCELERATION: Global data centre power consumption is expected to increase by 160% by 2030, driven primarily by AI applications. This growth will require substantial new renewable energy infrastructure investments estimated at $120 billion.
CLIMATE RESILIENCE CONCERNS: Nearly half of data centre operators have experienced extreme weather events that threatened operations, highlighting the need for enhanced climate adaptation strategies.
INVESTOR FOCUS INTENSIFIES: Major institutional investors managing over $70 billion in data centre assets are increasingly prioritizing sustainability metrics in their investment decisions.
